LETTERS FROM SAMOA 205
pass are admitted into the Institution, Here they stay four years, passing an examination at the end of each year, and when the final examination is passed they are ready to be called as pastors to any of the native villages. The missionaries are assisted by a native teacher, and the course of instruction includes writing, arithmetic, English history, Church history, physiology, theology, home and pastoral work. A few of the older boys are now being taught English.
Now I come to the great distinguishing feature of this institution, which is that it is entirely self-supporting, and costs the London Missionary Society nothing but the first cost of the land and the support of the two English missionaries; it seems to me that the greatest wisdom has been shown in the whole conception of the plan, and I suppose much of the credit is due to the late Rev. Dr. Turner, who is still much honoured and lamented here. When the work was commenced three hundred acres of land were bought to provide food for the students, and this land is cultivated by the students themselves; they also built the houses, and keep them in repair. The Samoan houses and the thatched roofs require to be renewed pretty frequently. Of course all this work leaves less time for study, so only three days a week—Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday—are devoted entirely to class-work. On Wednesday they work from 6 A.M. till 2 P.M.,